Production of Escherichia coli-based virus-like particle vaccine against porcine circovirus type 2 challenge in piglets: Structure characterization and protective efficacy validation.

•Soluble non-tag full-length PCV2 capsid protein (rCap) was produced in Escherichia coli and self-assembled into VLP in vitro.•The Cryo-EM structure of PCV2 rCap VLP was determined to 4.5Å resolution.•PCV2 rCap VLP-based vaccine displayed strong protective efficacy against PCV2 challenge as a commercial vaccine.